Resource Management Commission recommends against proposed merge

Members of the Resource Management Commission voted unanimously to recommend against a resurrected proposal to merge the RMC with the Zero Waste Advisory Commission, or ZWAC, at a special called meeting on Feb. 3.

In their resolution making the “no” recommendation, the RMC argued that the overlap between the two commissions is “narrow in scope” and would require members of both groups to “engage on an expansive array of issues unrelated to their primary areas of expertise and day-to-day responsibility.”

The proposal comes from a draft resolution currently circulating within City Council that would implement the merger as one of many changes intended to streamline their work and simplify community engagement with local government.

Most of the changes in the resolution derive from a 2014 report of a long-inactive Board and Commission Transition Task Force, which was formed by City Council to audit the city’s citizen boards, commissions, task forces and advisory councils. The draft resolution notes that there are more than 90 such “governance bodies” currently.

A summary of changes to be made in the draft resolution notes as a rationale for the merger of RMC and ZWAC only that “There is significant overlap in the missions of these two commissions.”

The purpose of the RMC is to “advise the city council in developing and reviewing city plans and programs in the area of alternative energy technologies, renewable energy sources and on energy and water conservation,” per the city website.

Meanwhile, the purpose of the ZWAC is to “review and analyze the policies and resources relating to solid waste management in the city and advise council on solid waste management policies and resources.”

RMC Vice Chair Paul Robbins commented briefly on the commission’s opposition to the merger, joining other commissioners in criticism.

“I could go on for 20 minutes but given our time constraints, I’m going to hold all my comments on what a bad idea someone had on this,” Robbins said.

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